December 23, 2016

Ukrainian Embassy recognizes UMANA Foundation

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Embassy of Ukraine

UMANA Foundation President Dr. Maria Hrycelak receives an award for the foundation from Ukraine’s Ambassador Valeriy Chaly, with Military Attaché Maj. Gen. Volodymyr Havrylov at the podium.

WASHINGTON – The Embassy of Ukraine and the Office of the Defense Attaché honored the Foundation of the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America (UMANA Foundation) among others at an awards ceremony on December 15 for organizations that provide assistance in the training of Ukrainian medical personnel and volunteers who care for wounded soldiers.

The UMANA Foundation, the non-profit educational and scientific arm of UMANA, partnered with the World Federation of Ukrainian Medical Associations (WFUMA-U.S.) and the California Association to Aid Ukraine (CAAU) to raise funds enabling the teaching of Prehospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) as well as U.S. Department of Defense Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) courses to medical personnel in Ukraine.

A key component of this training includes expensive sophisticated technical manikins used for realistic training of responses to trauma. These manikins include total body simulators, as well as specialized anatomical units for injured extremities, blood pumping systems and airway management.

In 2015, the UMANA Illinois Branch debutante ball’s fund-raising proceeds were earmarked to provide the Ukrainian medical community with such manikins. A yearlong successful campaign to raise funds for “UMANIKINS” via the RAZOO website resulted in an outpouring of support from UMANA members and the public. As a result, the foundation, with the help of Dr. Roxolana Horbowyj of WFUMA-U.S. and Dr. Yarko Maryniuk of CAAU, was able to provide medical centers in Ukraine with nearly 20 manikins with accompanying educational materials for training purposes.

The courses, endorsed by the American College of Surgeons, are certified by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT). During 2016, over 350 medical and support personnel participated in over 25 classes held in cities throughout Ukraine. These classes are becoming self-sustaining, expanding the knowledge base on an ongoing basis. UMANA plans to continue supporting such courses in the future.

Dr. Maria Hrycelak, president of the UMANA Foundation, received the award on behalf of the foundation, thanking Ambassador Valeriy Chaly and Military Attaché Maj. Gen. Volodymyr Havrylov for the recognition, and expressing gratitude to the many members of UMANA and the public who financially supported this worthwhile educational effort. Said Dr. Hrycelak, “We are pleased that Ukrainian medical personnel can now learn with state-of-the art equipment using our diaspora’s UMANIKINS as modern training aids.”

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